The Wind Prince & the Fire Princess
by johnsonmiranda70
Summary: Gaara Sabakuno is the prince of the Wind Kingdom. Izuka Uzumaki (OC) is the princess of the Fire Kingdom. Here is their story as they go through the years living the royal life, filled with annoying siblings, seriously headstrong parents, and a bunch of high strung elders. GaaraxOC. Soon to have TemxShika, KansxMats, and NaruxHina
1. The Wind Royal Family

**With all the hoopla with the Royal baby in England, I thought it would be fun to create a royal story with the Sand Siblings. It's a GaaraxOC story and there will be some other realtionships mentioned here as well. Plus, Naruto's parents, Kushina and Minato, and the Sand Siblings' parents and uncle, Karura, the Fourth Kazekage, and Yashamaru, are all alive in this story. Since Kishimoto never gave the Yondaime Kazekage an actual name, I gave the the Kazekage the name Tenzin for this story. I hope you all enjoy and please check out my other stories! Thank you :)**

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Chapter 1: The Wind Royal Family

"PRINCE GAARA! PRINCE GAARA!"

"_Ugh, what the hell? Don't those idiots know to never disturb me when I sleep?"_ thought the young prince as he weakly opened his eyes. He raised his head up from his silk pillow and turned toward his ornate bedroom door, which was where the incessant banging sound emanated from. The redhead groggily got out of his bed, put on his black indoor slippers, and walked to his door. He opened it to reveal two young servants, both dressed in black, both only a few years older than Gaara himself.

"Miki, Zanu, what have I told you two about disturbing me when I sleep? You both know how hard it is for me to sleep." said Gaara as he rubbed the sleep from his dark ringed eyes.

"We're sorry for disturbing you Lord Gaara, but your parents are expecting you for breakfast in the dining room." explained Zanu as a few of his raven locks fell onto his forehead.

"They have some news to share with you and your siblings. They're already downstairs." added Miki as she tried to fix the maid's cap perched on top of her head.

"I see. Tell my parents I will be there to join them in a second." said Gaara as he let out a small yawn.

"Yes sir!" cried the two servants in unison as they disappeared at ninja speed. Gaara shook his head and turned toward his room, He commanded some of his sand to bring him his robe. He draped the dark red fabric over his shoulders and closed his door, making his way through the large hallways of his home, the Sand Palace, home to the Wind royal family. When he reached the dining room, he stopped at the entrance and looked into the room to see his family was already there enjoying their morning meal. His older siblings, Temari and Kankuro, were bickering over who should get the last muffin while his uncle, Duke Yashamaru, and his mother, Queen Karura, were conversing with each other over tea. His father, King Tenzin, was looking through a copy of the Suna Times while eating his breakfast.

"Oh! There you are Gaara. Stop acting like a stranger and join us for breakfast!" said his mother as she turned to him with a beaming smile, looking elegant in her beige silk kimono. Gaara couldn't help but comply as he walked over to the table and took his seat next to Kankuro.

"I should get the last muffin because I'm older." said Temari with a smirk as she pointed to the said food product in question, which stood on top of a silver tray alone in the middle of the table.

"You always use that excuse Temari. It's getting old. Give it a rest and let me have the muffin." said Kankuro as he tried to swipe the pastry from the plate, but Temari slapped his hand away. Even though Temari was 19 and Kankuro was 18, they still bickered like little kids, which made Gaara, who was the youngest; feel like the most mature sibling.

"How about you two split the muffin so that you both would have an equal share?" suggested Gaara as he began to assemble his meat from the various dishes that were set up buffet style along the mahogany table.

"That's probably the best idea." said Yashamaru as he looked at the three. "It's either that idea or neither of you eating the muffin period."

Temari and Kankuro widened their eyes at the news, but soon sighed in defeat. Temari took the muffin and cut it right down the middle, giving Kankuro one half while keeping the other half for herself, earning a small smile from their parents and uncle in return.

"So . . . mother, father, what news do you have to tell us?" asked Gaara as he raised an invisible eyebrow. He was born without eyebrows, which still perplexes his family to this day.

"I've been wondering the same thing." muttered Temari after she finished talking a bite of her muffin.

"Well children, as we all know. Gaara's 16th birthday is coming in two weeks. So, your father and I have decided to personally invite a few of our friends to stay over at the palace for the occasion. They'll be arriving later today. You three remember Queen Kushina and her family right?" asked Queen Karura as she finished her tea.

At this new piece of information, Temari and Kankuro broke into wide grins while Gaara smirked. They lived in a land filled with ninjas and kingdoms, and out of all the kingdoms, there were the Five Element Kingdoms. Gaara's father was the king of the Wind Kingdom and the family ruled from the capital city of Sunagakure, or Suna for short. They were very close friends of Queen Kushina and King Minato, who ruled over the Fire Kingdom from the capital city, Konohagakure, or Konoha for short.

"The Fire Family is coming over to visit?" asked Temari in happy disbelief.

"It will only be Queen Kushina and her children will be staying for the long visit. King Minato will come over the night before the birthday celebration. I hope you all will make them feel welcome." said King Tenzin as he looked up from his paper.

"Of course we'll make them feel welcome! You can count on us father!" said Kankuro as he finished up the last of his muffin.

"That's good to hear. Now if you excuse us, your uncle and I have a meeting with the council to get to." said Tenzin as he got up from his chair. He kissed his wife on the cheek and followed Yashamaru out the large room.

"Get ready children. Kushina and the twins are flying in by dragon and they should be here within the hour." said Karura as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. The Sand Siblings shook their heads and quickly finished their breakfast. When they were all done, they all hugged their mother goodbye before exiting the room.

"Oh kami! I can't wait for the twins to get here! Besides, Naruto owes me ten yen." said Kankuro as the siblings walked down the hallway, getting bows from the servants as they walked.

"Why in the world does Naruto owe you ten yen?" asked Gaara as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I beat him in a puppet using contest." said Kankuro with a small smile.

"But Naruto is inept at using puppets!" countered Temari with an incredulous look on her face.

"Exactly!" said Kankuro as he adjusted the sleeve of his men's kimono. "My plan was full proof, my dear sister, princess of the Wind Kingdom, and first in line for dad's throne."

"Idiot" muttered Temari as she crossed her arms. She then turned to Gaara. "Gaara, are you ready to see your friend Izuka again?"

Gaara blushed at the question, but looked away smirking, which didn't go unnoticed by his elder sibings.

"It's been a good two years since we've seen Naruto and Izuka. I wonder if the twins got any taller." said Kankuro as he tried to give Gaara a playful shove. Gaara sensed the oncoming danger and moved out the way before Kankuro could make contact. "Maybe Izuka got prettier." suggested Kankuro as he regained his footing.

"Izuka's already pretty." Gaara countered as he muttered under his breath, which Temari managed to hear.

"You said Izuka is pretty. Maybe you like her more than a friend." said Temari with a small smirk as Gaara looked at her in shock.

"I bet he does." said Kankuro as he smirked.

"Oh be quiet." said Gaara coldly as he raised his hands to his face. He did a few hand signs, summoning his sand to him. It swirled around his body, transporting him away from the hallway and away from his siblings.

"He's so crushing on the Fire Princess." said Kankuro as he crossed his arms.

"Totally" said Temari in agreement as she watched as the last of Gaara's sand disappeared from view. Gaara's sand transported the young prince all the way back to his room, where he deposited himself right back onto his bed.

"I have idiots for siblings." muttered Gaara as he looked up at his ceiling, carved so that it displayed a beautiful image of the desert landscape. He then turned toward his dresser, which was decorated with picture frames filled with photos of his family and friends. His eyes went straight toward one certain picture frame. The frame displayed a photo of two children sitting on a parke bench. One child was a thirteen year old Gaara dressed in a royal blue men's kimono. The second child was sitting right next to him on the bench with her hands folded on her lap. The girl was dressed in a light pink kimono and sandals. Her hair was set up in two braided pigtails with a gold ring tied on to the end of each braid. Her ice blue eyes displayed curiosity as it stared at the camera while Gaara's eyes just stared at the camera in complete annoyance. The photo instantly brought a small smile to Gaara's face as he walked over to the dresser and took up the photo in his hands.

"I can't wait to see you again Izuka. It's been a while." whispered Gaara as he continued to stare at the photo. He took a deep breath and put the frame back on his dresser. He then walked over to his very large walk in closet and picked out something suitable to wear. After picking out a dress shirt and a pair of black pants, he walked over to his bathroom to get ready for the arrival of the Queen, the Prince, and the Princess of the Fire Kingdom.

**Please review!**


	2. The Fiery Arrival

Chapter 2: The Fiery Arrival

After Gaara finished getting himself ready in his designer duds, he used his sand to transport himself to the roof of the palace, which was home to the rooftop gardens, home to many desert plants. As he walked through the spacious area, he spotted his mother sitting on a bench near the garden fountain.

"You get ready fast." commented Karura as she looked up from her book to see her approaching son.

"Thought it would be good to be early." said Gaara as he sat down next to his mother.

"Can't wait to see Izuka again my young prince?" asked Karura, chuckling when she saw the light pink blush that appeared across Gaara's cheeks.

"Why is everyone asking me that question?" asked Gaara as he crossed his arms.

"Because we like to catch you off guard little brother." answered Temari as she and Kankuro appeared from behind a corner. "We love the slightly embarrassed look you get on your face whenever we ask."

Gaara turned away when he felt another blush come across his face. His mother placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Temari, Kankuro, leave your brother alone. He doesn't need you two pestering him about Izuka all the time." said Karura as she shot a disapproving look at the two. "Besides, prying into Gaara's love life is my job."

Gaara shot his mother an incredulous look as Kankuro and Temari broke into a fit of loud laughter. Gaara was about to reprimand his siblings when he was cut off by a very loud roar from above. All four looked up to see a large red Chinese dragon hovering above them. A head of spiky blonde hair popped up from behind the dragon's ear and looked down at them with a beaming smile.

"Hi everyone!" yelled Naruto as he waved his arm in greeting as the dragon landed in front of the fountain.

"Naruto! Glad you finally made it!" called Kankuro in equal enthusiasm as he ran up to the dragon's head. "You owe me ten yen!"

Naruto instantly scowled at the statement as he jumped to the ground, somehow managing to not get a speck of dirt on his pants.

"I still think the puppet using competition was rigged." muttered the tan prince as he fished out the money from his pocket.

"It wasn't rigged. I'm just better than you when it comes to using puppets." countered Kankuro as he took the money from Naruto.

"And that is why you should never agree to something unless you know you are not actually skilled in the task in question." said a new voice. The two teens looked up to see Queen Kushina looking down at them with a smirk playing on her lips. "Remember that Naruto."

"Yes mother" answered Naruto in a tired sigh, ignoring the small snickers coming from Kankuro.

"How are you Kushina?" asked Karura as her longtime friend leapt from the dragon.

"Very well Karura, thanks for asking." answered Kushina as the friends hugged. Kushina then turned to Gaara, who was standing next to Temari. "And how has the soon to be 16 year old been doing hm?"

"I'm fine Lady Kushina." said Gaara as he turned toward the dragon. His eyes slightly widened when he saw her jump gracefully from the dragon to the ground. As soon as she stood back up, her eyes instantly met Gaara's own. "Hi Izuka!"

"Hi Gaara" answered the blonde as she shyly looked away. Her hair was still in their signature pigtails with the two gold rings at the end, but they were a lot longer as the braids went a little past her slim waist. She was dressed in a dark purple sundress and black sandals, which looked elegant against the pale skin tone she shared with her mother.

"Hi Izuka! Any luck with your sleeping habits yet?" asked Temari with a small smile. Izuka's dark ringed eyes were similar to Gaara's own, except her pupils were ice blue and Gaara's was jade green. They both suffered from a highly rare sleep disorder that made them chronic insomniacs who would not sleep for months at a time. Their parents have called in numerous sleep specialists to help solve the problem, but it could never be resolved.

"It has not been improving, if that's what you're asking, but I've gotten used to it." answered Izuka with a slight shrug.

"Maybe you're rare sleep disorder is a sign." suggested Naruto with a shrug of his own.

"A sign that you are Gaara are meant for each other." added Kankuro as he and Naruto let out a small laugh, making Gaara and Izuka blush once again.

"Lay off you two!" said the dragon as it stared at the two teens. "Cut your younger siblings some slack."

"I think Kiraya has the right idea boys," said Kushina as she turned to the dragon. "You're dismissed Kiraya!"

"Thank you Lady Kushina. Good day everyone and I'll see you all real soon." said the dragon as she began to levitate into the air. When she was a safe distance away from the roof, Kiraya made a U-turn and flew away.

"Hey! Where's your luggage?" Kankuro suddenly asked as he looked at the three.

"We sealed them in sealing scrolls. Makes it easier when you're traveling by flying Chinese dragon." answered Naruto as he took out two scrolls from his pocket.

"Smart move." said Temari as she began to walk away from the others.

"Temari, where are you going?" asked Karura as she raised an eyebrow at her eldest child.

"I have a training bout with Master Baki in a few minutes. I have to get ready." called Temari as she gestured to her body, clothed in a dark blue casual dress that went down to her knees. She waved goodbye before disappearing from view.

"That reminds me. I have to meet with the events' planner to oversee a few things. Would you like to join me Kushina?" asked Karura as she turned to the Fire Queen.

"I'd love to." answered Kushina as she followed the Wind Queen away from the gardens.

"I want to win back my money Kankuro." said Naruto as he suddenly pointed to the middle Sand Sibling.

"And how in the world do you plan to do that Foxface?" asked Kankuro as he used Naruto's nickname, which was in reference to the whisker marks he had on both sides of his face.

"With a good old fashioned race of course. First one to the palace's main entrance gets the money." said Naruto with a small smirk.

"You're on Naruto!" said Kankuro as he got down to position. Naruto soon followed suit. When a pigeon nearby let out its signature sound, the two sprinted away, leaving Izuka and Gaara in the garden and in their dust.

"Those two are idiots." muttered Izuka as she wiped the dust away from her dress.

"You can say that again." said Gaara in agreement as he dusted his pants free from dirt. When he was done cleaning himself up, he looked up to see Izuka looking at a few nearby cacti. "It's nice to see you again Izuka."

"It's nice to see you too Gaara. It's been too long." said Izuka as a small smile appeared across her face. Gaara felt his heart skipped a beat at seeing that smile, which she rarely showed in public, and looked away before a blush could form.

"So . . . are you excited?"

"Huh?" asked Gaara as he turned back toward Izuka.

"Are you excited?" Your 16th birthday is two weeks from today. Aren't you happy you're turning one year older turning one year older?" asked Izuka as she sat on a nearby stone bench.

"Not really." said Gaara as he joined Izuka on the bench. "I'm happy I'm turning a year older, but that means courting season will start for me as well."

Izuka nodded her head in understanding. Throughout all the kingdoms, courting season for nobility/royalty began on his or hers' sixteenth birthday and it continued until marriage. Kankuro and Temari were well into their courting seasons, but neither had picked a potential suitor for themselves yet.

"All those girls will try to win your favor at the party." mumbled Izuka as she looked up at the sky.

"I know," said Gaara with a tired sigh. He snuck a quick glance at Izuka to see that she had a rather annoyed look on her face. "Will . . . will you try to win my favor?"

Izuka's eyes widened in surprise at Gaara's question; blushing in an instant as she let the question sink in.

"Maybe" Izuka managed to squeak out for an answer as a tiny smile graced her lips. That was enough for Gaara, who felt like doing backflips, but he managed to contain his excitement and instead settled for a composed mask.

"If it helps . . . I already consider you one of the frontrunners." said Gaara as he couldn't stop the blush coming across his face. Izuka turned to Gaara with a grateful smirk on her face,

"Thank you Gaara." said Izuka as she turned her attention toward the sky.

"You're welcome Izuka," said Gaara as he too looked up at the sky. "You're welcome."

**Please review!**


	3. The Library

Chapter 3: The Library

It was now a full week till Gaara's birthday and there was quite a buzz of excitement throughout the Wind Palace. Gaara was currently walking through an empty hallway to the palace library. Once he entered the large room, he said his greetings to the doorman and walked through the various bookshelves till he reached the area where all the tables were located. He let a small smirk grace his lips as he saw Izuka sitting at one of the far tables in the room.

"What are you reading there?" asked Gaara as he walked over to the girl, who was reading intently.

"A book on the legend of the nine guardian spirits." answered Izuka as she looked up from her book, a small smirk evident on her face.

"Is it any good?" asked Gaara as he took the seat next to her for his own.

"It's very interesting," said Izuka as she closed the book. "This book contains the mythical stories of nine beings that have the ability to transform into these large chakra spirits to fight against evil. Each spirit has a certain number of tails to represent how much strength they have, one for the weakest and nine for the strongest. If time calls for it, they can all combine together to become a powerful beast, the Juubi."

"Interesting," said Gaara as he looked up to see two people walking over to them. He recognized them instantly as two of the members of his father's council. Both of them had stoic looks on their faces as they walked over to the royal duo. "Uh oh, trouble."

"Are they that bad?" whispered Izuka as she snuck an unsure look at the young prince.

"Trust me . . . they're bad." said Gaara as he let a stoic look of his own fall over his face. The two council members stopped in front of Gaara's and Izuka's table, both looking as cool as cucumbers.

"Prince Gaara, Princess Shizukara, how are you two today?" asked the female council member as she nodded her ponytailed hair at both of them. Gaara snuck a quick glance at Izuka to see her left eye twitch slightly. One of Izuka's biggest pet peeves was people calling her by her full name, which was Shizukara. She just didn't like the sound of her full first name, so she typically told everyone to call her Izuka. The only time her full first name was fully used was during official royal events, or when old people just wanted to use her full name just for kicks.

"I'm fine; thank you for asking." said Izuka as she nodded her head in return after a tense second passed by.

"I am well." said Gaara as he answered for himself. "What can I do for you two today, Councilman Yohano, Councilwoman Zuki?"

"Have you been preparing yourself for your birthday in the coming week?" asked Yohano as he crossed his arms.

"Yes, I've been making all the preparations for my birthday. Why do you ask?" asked Gaara as he raised an invisible eyebrow in suspicion.

"It's just that with your birthday comes courting season for you my lord," said Yohano as he nodded his head. "There will be plenty of girls trying to gain your attention."

Gaara let a small sigh as Izuka returned her attention to her book. He rubbed a hand through his blood red hair before answering.

"What are you getting at Yohano?" asked Gaara as he weaved his fingers together.

"You must make the right decision, that's all I am saying Lord Gaara." said Yohano as he crossed his arms. "You must make the right decision for yourself and for the kingdom."

"I see," mumbled Gaara. "It's all about creating alliances isn't it? Don't worry you two. You don't need to worry about me. You should be more worried about Temari. She is first in line for the throne after all."

"That is true too," mumbled Councilwoman Zuki as she placed a hand under her chin. "Do you know where your sister is at right now?"

"She should be in one of the indoor gardens in the south section of the palace." answered Gaara as he crossed his arms.

"Thank you my Lord. We will be on our way." said Zuki as she and Yohano walked away from their table and to the door. Gaara turned to Izuka to see the small scowl evident on her face.

"Are you okay?" asked Gaara as he shot her an unsure look.

"I'm fine," mumbled Izuka as she closed her book once again. "It's just that I'm annoyed that the council is being so uptight about you choosing a potential suitor. You're not even 16 yet and they already are applying the pressure on you."

"The council back in your kingdom has been doing the same thing to you haven't they?" asked Gaara as he shot her a knowing look.

"Yes; my birthday isn't for another nine months, and they've already been hinting on suggestions for potential suitors for me, even though Naruto is the elder twin and is first in line. I've told my mother about it and she has told me to just ignore the old coots, but it gets really annoying after a while." said Izuka with a sigh of defeat. "How have Temari and Kankuro been doing in their search?"

"Temari is still single at the moment, but Kankuro may have found somebody. He's slightly infatuated with this girl from the Mikimoto Clan. Her name is Matsuri and I think they're a good match." said Gaara as he looked up at the ornate ceiling. "Actually, Kankuro wants to ask her to be his date to my party."

"And he hasn't asked yet?" asked Izuka as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Nope . . . too shy." answered Gaara with a shrug. "What about Naruto? Has he found anybody yet?"

"Well . . . he pursued this girl from the Haruno Clan named Sakura for the longest while, but then she became betrothed to Sasuke from the Uchiha Clan. They plan to marry as soon as they both become 21." answered Izuka with a shrug. "I've already been promised a bridesmaid position."

"Well that was quick. Those two work fast." muttered Gaara as he crossed his arms. "Is Naruto sad about it?"

"Not really; he was sad for a little while, but then he got out of it thanks to the princes of the Hyuga Clan. You remember Hinata right? The shy girl that always hid behind the trees because she didn't want to be noticed by others?" asked Izuka as she looked at Gaara. Gaara nodded yes and gestured for her to continue. "Well, she was the one that got out of Naruto's . . . small depression. Now the two are good friends. Most of the noble teens believe they'll become more than friends real soon."

"I see." muttered Gaara as he tapped his fingers on the table. "Izuka, how long have the Fire council been badgering you with ideas for potential suitors?"

"For the past few months; I'm just really getting tired of it, you know?" she asked him as she got up from her seat with her book hand.

"Well that sounds depressing," muttered Gaara as he got up from his seat and walked after her. "We shouldn't be pressured into these things. We should be free to make our own decisions."

"You are so right." said Izuka as she put her book right onto an upper shelf. "They say that being a royal is easy. It's never easy."

"You could say that again," muttered Gaara as he looked out the window to see his city before him. He then looked down at his watch and his eyes widened in surprise. "I have to go. I have a training bout with my father."

"Then you better not keep Tenzin waiting." said Izuka with a small smirk. "Don't worry, I'll be fine here."

Gaara nodded his head and walked away, but stopped after walking a few feet. He turned around to see Izuka staring out the same window. Summoning up enough courage, Gaara walked over to Izuka and kissed her on her cheek, taking the princess by surprise. He disappeared in a cloud of sand soon after that, never giving the Fire Princess time to confront him about the surprise kiss. Blushing, Izuka turned her attention back toward the window, feeling all happy inside as she watched as the Suna city life went on in front of her.

**Please review!**


	4. The Sweet 16

Chapter 4: Sweet 16

"Are you ready, little brother?"

Gaara turned to see Temari and Kankuro walk down the hallway toward him. Temari was dressed in a light blue kimono decorated with dark blue swirls of wind at the edges. Her hair was tied up in a bun at the nape of her neck, held together by a black brooch. Kankuro was dressed in a dark brown men's kimono that was decorated in detailing at its edges that looked like puppet strings.

"Yes . . . yes I am." said Gaara as he looked away from the window that looked out into the city.

"Well then . . . let's get going. Mother and father are waiting for us." said Temari as she turned down a second hallway. Kankuro and Gaara followed after their only sibling. They descended down a few staircases till they reached the second floor of the palace. They walked down a hallway till they reached their parents, who were standing by a large ornate door guarded by two of the palace guards. Karura was dressed in a gold kimono and had a small silver tiara lying in her hair. Tenzin was dressed in a gray men's kimono, looking regal as he stood by his wife's side.

"There you three are." said Karura with a smile as her children approached them. "Are you nervous Gaara?"

"Now what kind of question is that Karura?" asked Tenzin as he looked at his wife with a smirk. "It's Gaara's 16th birthday! If he's feeling one major emotion right now, it's excitement."

Kankuro and Temari let out small snickers as Gaara looked away in slight embarrassment. The guards stood perfectly still and didn't show an ounce of emotion in their faces, although they were chuckling on the inside.

"Remember the plan kids. Your father and I will enter first, then it's the two elder siblings at the same time and side by side, and then finally Gaara will enter last." said Karura as the guards opened the doors. Tenzin nodded his head and held out his arm. Karura looped her arm around his and the two walked, perfectly in sync, through the doors.

"Presenting the rulers of the Wind Kingdom, King Tenzin Sabakuno and his wife, Queen Karura Sabakuno" called the royal presenter from within the large hall, the sounds of the guests' claps coming from within the room.

"Let's go Kankuro!" said Temari as she turned to her brother.

"Right!" said Kankuro with a determined look on his face. The two elder siblings walked through the doors in unison, leaving Gaara alone with the guards in the hallway.

"Presenting your Royal Highnesses, Princess Temari Sabakuno and her brother, Prince Kankuro Sabakuno." said the presenter, louds clapping noises emanating from the room.

_Here I go._ Gaara thought in his head as he nodded at the guards before walking through the doors. He walked a few feet onto a balcony before turning to stop at the top of the staircase. He saw that all eyes were on him, and why not? It was his birthday after all.

"And presenting his Royal Highness, Prince Gaara Sabakuno!" All the teenage girls looked at the young prince, all of them vying for the chance to be Gaara's potential suitor. Gaara continued to stare straight ahead as he descended down the staircase and into the ornate ballroom, complete with a band, a buffet table, and a dance floor in the middle of the room. Once he reached the rest of his family down at ground level, they all separated to various parts of the grand ballroom.

"Hey Gaara!" said Naruto as he quickly walked up to his fellow prince before any of the females could.

"Hey Naruto," said Gaara as he looked at the prince, who was dressed in a dark orange men's kimono. "Enjoying the party so far?"

"Yes I am," said Naruto as he crossed his arms. "So . . . have you seen anyone to your liking so far?"

"Naruto, you baka . . . I just got here, like, a few seconds ago." said Gaara with a small sigh as he looked around the room, obviously noticing the stares that he got from the noble girls.

"Well . . . you make a good point there." said Naruto with his signature smile as he scratched the back of his neck. "You are in for one heck of a night."

"Tell me about it," muttered Gaara as he turned to see an indigo haired girl walk over to them. Instantly recognizing her, Gaara smirked at the tan prince. "Looks like you'll have one eventful night yourself."

Naruto turned to see Hinata Hyuga, the princess of the Hyuga Clan, walk over to them in her usual timid manner, dressed in a lavender kimono with a silver pin in her long straight hair. Gaara saw Naruto blush out the corner of his eye and he resisted the urge to smirk at Naruto's flushed look.

"Hello Naruto, Gaara." said the girl as she reached the two, her unique eyes staring at the both of them.

"Hell Hinata" said Gaara with a small smirk as he looked at the Hyuga princess.

"Hi Hinata," said Naruto with a small nervous chuckle as his blush grew deeper. "Do . . . you want to dance?"

"I'd . . . love to." answered Hinata as she let a small relieved smile come across her face. Naruto let a big grin come across his face at her answer. He held out his hand for her to take and escorted her to the dance floor, leaving Gaara to fend for himself against all of his potential suitors.

_Here I go. _Gaara mumbled in his head as he stared at all the girls staring at him. The next hour and a half was filled with girls walking up to Gaara to speak with him, all of them introducing themselves and hoping to make a good impression with the young prince. Some went with the mysterious approach, acting as quiet and demure as possible, hoping that the approach would intrigue Gaara. Others went all out there, describing themselves and what they were like in as much detail as possible, much to Gaara's chagrin.

"These girls really want to impress me don't they?" Gaara whispered to himself as he walked away from a few girls from the Water Kingdom. He looked around the room, and a small smile appeared across his lips as he noticed the girl walk through a second large set of doors along the far side of the room. He walked over to the girl, dressed in a silk, deep purple kimono and had her hair in a bun, who was currently looking at the portraits of the Wind Kingdom's previous rulers.

"I see your looking at a little bit of my family history." said Gaara as he whispered in her ear. The girl turned around, a golden circlet gracing her forehead signifying her royal status, and smirked at the birthday boy.

"Well . . . it is an impressive one." said Izuka as she turned her attention back to the portrait. "This is of your grandfather, right?"

"Yeah; most consider him the greatest ruler the Wind Kingdom has ever seen." said Gaara as he looked up at the stoic man in the photo, the same man who he inherited his red hair from.

"What does your father think about that?" asked Izuka as she turned to her longtime friend.

"My dad is proud to call him father. Plus, he wants to see if he can one up him, but I don't think it's possible. My grandfather set a mark that probably no other ruler could." answered Gaara as he let out a sigh.

"Don't tell your sister that." said Izuka as she looked out into the sea of people. "And speaking of your sister . . ."

Gaara turned around to see his sister in another part of the room, speaking animatedly with a teenage boy whose hair made him look like a pineapple and dressed in a moss green men's kimono.

"Who's he?" asked Gaara as he stared at the guy speaking with his sister.

"That is Shikamaru Nara, the prince of the Nara Clan back in my kingdom. His father Shikaku, is a member of my father's council and one of his most trusted friends." answered Izuka as she crossed her arms. "Don't you remember him? He was always the one that napped at every possible moment he could get."

"Yes . . . How could someone so lazy be so intelligent?" asked Gaara as he raised an eyebrow.

"Who knows?" asked Izuka as she shrugged her shoulders, just as the band began to play a slow song. The two turned around to face the dance floor to see couples forming on the floor. Gaara and Izujka instantly spotted Naruto and Hinata at the far edge of the floor in each other's arms. Kankuro and Matsuri were walking to the floor hand in hand while Temari was practically dragging Shikamaru to the floor. They also saw Sasuke and Sakura dancing with each other, with TenTen and Hinata's cousin Neji dancing nearby. Ino and Choji were by the buffet just talking with each other while Kiba was trying to his up some Kumo girls. Shino and Sai were sitting at a table talking about art and bugs. Most of the adults were on the dance floor as well, but a few of the adults were sitting at their respective tables, including Karura and Tenzin and Naruto and Izuka's parents, Queen Karura and King Minato, the latter only arriving at the palace a few hours prior.

"It seems everyone we really know are on the floor." said Izuka as she looked at the crowd with content eyes.

"Indeed they are . . ." said Gaara as he felt a little ebb of nervousness build up within him. "Izuka . . . can I ask you a small question?"

"What is it Gaara?" asked Izuka as she turned to the prince, raising an eyebrow when she noticed the blush on his face. "What do you want to ask me?"

"Would . . . Would you like to dance . . . with me?" asked Gaara as he held out his hand toward her. Izuka let out a silent breath before looking down at Gaara's outstretched hand.

"I thought you'd never ask." said Izuka with a smile as she put her hand on top of his. Gaara absolutely felt on Cloud 9 as he listened to her answer. He let out a small breath as he smirked. He led Izuka over to the dance floor, gaining a whole lot of surprised, and some envious, looks from the people around them. Their parents looked on affectionately as the two danced in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by the guests as they danced in each other's arms.

"Now isn't that a happy sight." commented Kushina as she rested her tiara drapes hjead on Minato's shoulder, careful to not make the crown drop.

"You can say that again Kushina," answered Minato as he looked down at his wife. "Took them long enough though."

"You said it." said Tenzin as he nodded his head in agreement. The wives responded by slapping them in the back of their heads.

"We'll be quiet now." said the two kings as they winced in pain. The wives smirked at each other as they returned their attention back to the dance floor, the night going off without a hitch.

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